White House Authorshttps://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/authors/25044
enMeeting the Challenge of Climate Changehttps://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/09/20/meeting-challenge-climate-change
In June, President Obama laid out the case for action on climate change and the steps his Administration will take to address it. In his Climate Action Plan, the President announced steps to cut the emissions of carbon pollution, prepare the United States for the impacts of climate change, and lead international efforts to combat global climate change.

Three months later, the Administration is well on its way implementing the President’s plan. Already, the Administration has announced new renewable energy projects on public lands, we are taking steps to make our communities more resilient to the effects of severe weather, and we are working with our international partners to reduce emissions of powerful greenhouse gasses. At home and abroad, we are making real progress, and we have results to show for it.

Today, the EPA announced another milestone by re-proposing carbon pollution standards for new power plants. With this announcement, the EPA is taking responsible, steady steps to cut carbon pollution, protect the air we breathe, and develop affordable, American-made clean energy. For years we have had limits in place for arsenic, mercury and lead that power plants can release, and today we are taking a common-sense step to reduce the carbon pollution that is contributing to higher rates of asthma attacks and more frequent and severe floods and heat waves. The President is serious about taking on the challenge of climate change, and with today’s announcement we are proving that we can deliver on that promise.

Here are some more highlights from our progress since the President announced the Climate Action Plan.

Less than three months ago, President Obama delivered an address at Georgetown University that underscored the moral obligation we have to leave our children a planet that’s not polluted or damaged. The President issued a Climate Action Plan for his second term that – building on the accomplishments of the first four years – advances policies to cut carbon pollution, keeping our air and water clean and protecting our kids.

In President Obama’s first term, the Energy Department established new minimum efficiency standards for dishwashers, refrigerators, and many other products. Through 2030, these standards will cut consumers’ electricity bills by hundreds of billions of dollars and save enough electricity to power more than 85 million homes for two years.

To build on this success, the President set a new goal in his Climate Action Plan: Efficiency standards for appliances and federal buildings set in the first and second terms combined will reduce carbon pollution by at least 3 billion metric tons cumulatively by 2030 – equivalent to nearly one-half of the carbon pollution from the entire U.S. energy sector for one year – while continuing to cut families’ energy bills.

Today, the Energy Department is taking steps towards achieving this new goal by issuing two proposed rules that could cut energy bills by up to $28 billion and cut emissions by over 350 million metric tons of CO2 over 30 years. This reduction in CO2 emissions would be the equivalent of taking nearly 109 million new cars of the road for one year. Or put another way, the energy saved from these proposed rules would be equal to the amount of electricity used by 50 million homes in a year.

It’s a plan that starts with responsibility. While no single step can reverse the effects of climate change, President Obama believes we have a moral obligation to future generations to do what we can. After all, this is no longer a distant threat – we are already feeling the impacts now.

The 12 hottest years on record have all come in the last 15 years. Asthma rates have doubled in the past 30 years and our children will suffer more asthma attacks as air pollution gets worse. And increasing floods, heat waves, and droughts have taken a toll on our nation’s farmers, which is raising food prices. These changes come with far-reaching consequences and real economic costs. Last year alone, there were more than 11 different weather and climate disaster events with estimated losses exceeding $1 billion each across the United States.

During President Obama’s first term, we took a number of important steps to reduce carbon pollution and spark innovation in cleaner forms of energy. For example, we doubled our use of renewable electricity from wind, solar, and geothermal sources and set the toughest fuel efficiency standards in American history. Thanks in part to these actions, in 2012, U.S. carbon pollution from the energy sector fell to the lowest level in nearly 20 years. To build on this progress, the President’s Climate Action Plan has three pillars: cut carbon pollution in America; prepare the United States for climate impacts; and lead international efforts to combat global climate change.

Now, we’re already seeing many Republicans and some of the nation’s biggest polluters attack the President’s plan. And they’re recycling the same tired and empty arguments that we’ve heard time and time again. To separate fact from fiction, let’s dig a little deeper and compare their rhetoric with the reality.

Claim #1:

Reducing carbon pollution will hurt the economy and cost jobs.

FACT:

Over the last four decades, we have reduced common pollutants by more than half and have doubled economic output.

Our own history shows us that we can protect our environment, reduce harmful pollution, and promote economic growth all at the same time. And the numbers speak for themselves: between 1970 and 2011, aggregate emissions of common air pollutants dropped 68 percent, while the U.S. gross domestic product grew 212 percent. Private sector jobs increased by 88 percent during the same period.

What’s even worse about this claim is that it suggests a lack of faith in American businesses to innovate. When we banned cancer-causing chemicals in our toys, and leaded fuel in our cars, it didn’t end the plastics industry or the oil industry; American chemists came up with better, cheaper substitutes. When we phased out chlorofluorocarbons – the gases that depleted the ozone layer – it didn’t kill off refrigerators and air conditioners; American workers built better ones.

The bottom line is that we don’t have to choose between the health of our children and the health of our economy. Those goals go hand in hand. And by taking action to reduce carbon pollution, we can spark new jobs and industries building cleaner and more efficient American-made energy technologies.

Consider this: the average household in the United States spends more than $2,000 each year on energy bills, with appliances accounting for a significant percentage of that total. To illustrate this point, the chart below shows how much energy a typical appliance uses per year and its corresponding cost.

Source: Energy Department

When we look at this chart, we see opportunity. We see great potential to reduce energy waste and lower utility bills for American families. That’s why President Obama has made energy efficiency a top priority for his Administration. For example, in his State of the Union Address this year, the President set a bold new goal: to cut in half the energy wasted in our homes and businesses over the next 20 years.

Part of how we will achieve that goal is by making appliances more energy efficient. Not only will that help Americans keep more money in their pockets, it will also curb pollution and spark innovation that creates jobs and ultimately brings better products to the marketplace.

That’s why we are proud to announce today that the Department of Energy has finalized new energy efficiency standards for microwaves, which will save consumers billions on their energy bills over the coming decades and prevent 38 million metric tons of carbon emissions – the equivalent of taking 12 million new cars off the road for one year. These standards will go into effect starting in 2016.

Notably, the underlying analysis of these standards includes an update to the social cost of carbon values, which draw on the best available science to calculate the benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as discussed in this year’s Economic Report of the President. The total net benefits of the new microwave standards, including the updated social cost of carbon, are up to $4.6 billion.

Of course, this is just our latest step forward. During the President’s first term, by partnering with manufacturers and forging bipartisan support, the Administration established new appliance standards for nearly 40 different products. Taken together, they will save consumers close to $400 billion and reduce carbon emissions by 1.7 billion metric tons by 2030.

Moving forward, we intend to build on this strong record of success. By advancing energy efficiency – in our homes, our businesses, and the transportation sector – we make real progress in promoting energy security and addressing global climate change.

To learn more about choosing energy efficiency appliances for your home, click here.

]]>White HouseEnergy and EnvironmentBarack ObamaErnest MonizHeather ZichalUnited StatesWASHINGTONFri, 31 May 2013 19:43:46 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>216841 at https://www.whitehouse.govA Stronger and Sustainable Military for the 21st Centuryhttps://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/05/17/stronger-and-sustainable-military-21st-century
As the single largest consumer of energy in the United States, the Department of Defense (DOD)knows that improving efficiency and harnessing new energy technologies is imperative – not only to achieve significant cost savings, but to give our troops better energy options on the battlefield, at sea, in the air, and at home.

At DOD’s fixed installations alone – including, barracks, offices, and hospitals – energy bills come in around $4 billion each year. Given this large footprint as well as the importance of safe, secure, and affordable energy sources to mission readiness, the Department has made one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history, by developing a goal to deploy three gigawatts of renewable energy – including solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal – on Army, Navy, and Air Force installations by 2025 – enough to power 750,000 homes.

When it comes specifically to solar power, a new report today from the Solar Energy Industries Association underscores the progress that DOD is making towards its goals.

“Enlisting the Sun: Powering the U.S. Military with Solar Energy” highlights solar energy’s growing role in powering military installations and military homes across America. According to the report, as of early 2013, there are more than 130 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems powering Navy, Army, and Air Force bases in at least 31 states and the District of Columbia. Combined, these installations provide enough clean energy to power more than 20,000 American homes.

]]>White HouseBlueprint for an America Built to LastDefenseEconomyEnergy and EnvironmentDistrict of ColumbiaHeather ZichalUnited StatesFri, 17 May 2013 21:50:07 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>214516 at https://www.whitehouse.govA Record Year for the American Wind Industryhttps://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/01/30/record-year-american-wind-industry
Since taking office, President Obama has been focused on building an energy economy in the United States that is cleaner as well as more efficient and secure. As part of that effort, the Administration has taken historic action over the past few years to support the development and deployment of renewable energy that will create new jobs and jumpstart new industries in America. And we are making significant progress towards those goals.

The American wind industry had its best year ever in 2012, with more than 13,000 MW installed. In the fourth quarter alone, more than 8,000 MW were deployed – an all-time record for the industry and twice as much wind as the previous record set in the fourth quarter 2009.

Thanks to this growth, the wind industry was able to achieve another milestone in 2012: achieving 60 GW of cumulative wind capacity in the United States. To put it another way, the United States today has more than 45,000 wind turbines that provide enough electricity to power 14.7 million homes – roughly equivalent to the number of homes in Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, and Ohio combined.

]]>White HouseJobsEconomyInnovationsEnergy and EnvironmentColoradoHeather ZichalIllinoisIowaMarylandMichiganNevadaOhioUnited StatesWed, 30 Jan 2013 22:08:13 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>195616 at https://www.whitehouse.govA New Step Forward to Protect American Wind Energy Jobshttps://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/08/02/new-step-forward-protect-american-wind-energy-jobs
Today, in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, the Senate Finance Committee passed a one-year extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for the domestic wind industry. For months, the President has been calling on Congress to extend the PTC – which is currently slated to expire at the end of 2012 – in order to save tens of thousands of jobs in the American wind industry, manufacturing industry, as well as the associated supply chain. We applaud the bipartisan leadership showcased today in the Finance Committee and urge the rest of Congress to follow the Committee’s lead as expeditiously as possible.

Renewing the PTC has been a top priority for the President because he views the American wind industry as an American success story. Over the past few years – thanks in part to the PTC – this industry has flourished. Today, we have enough wind capacity to power 10 million homes across the country. In 2011, which was a banner year for the industry, nearly one-third of all new power capacity in the United States came from wind.

Notably, as part of the package passed today in the Senate Finance Committee, an important provision was included that allows wind developers to use the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) instead of the Production Tax Credit, which is critical for offshore wind projects in particular.

In a parallel trend, the domestic content of wind turbines has increased dramatically in recent years. It used to be that we had to import most of the 8,000 component parts that go into a modern wind turbine. But today, with nearly 500 wind-related manufacturing facilities in 43 states, we’re producing more and more of those parts in America, which means job opportunities for tens of thousands of American workers in every corner of the country.

]]>White HouseEnergy and EnvironmentHeather ZichalIowaTerry BranstadUnited StatesThu, 02 Aug 2012 23:30:19 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>170556 at https://www.whitehouse.gov Landmark Court Decision Upholds EPA's Actions to Protect Families https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/06/29/landmark-court-decision-upholds-epas-actions-protect-families
Earlier this week, the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit affirmed – via a unanimous ruling – several important steps taken by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect the health of American families, save consumers money at the pump, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

This was a landmark decision with several key components:

The Court upheld EPA’s science-based finding that carbon pollution endangers the public’s health and welfare, noting the “substantial record evidence.”

The Court protected the Administration’s historic fuel economy standards for cars and trucks, adding that EPA’s implementation of the Clean Air Act was “unambiguously correct.”

Finally, the Court dismissed several petitions challenging a requirement for some of the nation’s largest polluters – starting with new power plants – to install widely-available and cost-effective pollution control technology, while shielding smaller emitters, arguing that “no petitioner had standing.”

]]>White HouseEconomyEnergy and EnvironmentHeather ZichalUnited StatesEcon. JobsEcon. Protecting the Middle ClassFri, 29 Jun 2012 19:48:31 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>163723 at https://www.whitehouse.govFighting to Protect American Families from Mercury Pollutionhttps://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/06/19/fighting-protect-american-families-mercury-pollution
In December 2011, President Obama was proud to announce that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had finalized the first-ever national standards to reduce mercury, arsenic, and other toxic air pollution from power plants. It was a watershed moment in the Administration’s ongoing efforts to protect the health of American families and the environment, through sensible and achievable standards that rely on technologies already deployed by industry.

The public health benefits associated with the Administration’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) are enormous. By reducing emissions of toxic pollutants that lead to neurological damage, cancer, respiratory illnesses, and other serious health issues, these standards will benefit millions of people across the country. In fact, the total health and economic benefits to society could reach $90 billion each year.

In spite of these benefits – and the long history of bipartisan support to limit toxic air emissions from the nation’s largest polluters – Senator Inhofe is leading the charge to block these critical standards. And here’s what makes the stakes even higher: if these efforts are successful, the EPA could be prevented from ever limiting mercury and other toxic air pollution from power plants in the future – despite the fact that this requirement was initially signed into law in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush.

Rarely does a single vote in Congress have the potential to undermine public health and the environment in such a profound and blatant way. For that reason, it’s important to cut through all of the misinformation.

Here are the facts about the Obama Administration’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards:

Heather Zichal speaks at the WINDPOWER 2012 Conference and Exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia.

Earlier this week, I spoke at the WINDPOWER 2012 Conference and Exhibition – the largest wind industry event in the world. Building on President Obama’s remarks in Newton, Iowa, I highlighted a few key items on the President’s To-Do list for Congress -- including extending the Production Tax Credit (PTC) and the 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Credit.

These credits have played an important role in fueling job creation and supporting a manufacturing base in clean energy. As I told the crowd in Atlanta:

This is a priority for the President because he sees the American wind industry as an American success story. Over the past few years – thanks in part to these tax credits – this industry has flourished. Today, we have enough wind capacity to power 10 million homes across the country. In 2011, which was a banner year for the industry, nearly one-third of all new power capacity in the United States came from wind. Five states now produce more than 10 percent of their electricity from wind power. And in places like Iowa and South Dakota, that figure is closer to 20 percent.

So this is an industry with momentum. And it’s an industry that’s putting people back to work. It used to be that we had to import most of the 8,000 component parts that go into a modern wind turbine. But today, with nearly 500 wind-related manufacturing facilities in 43 states, we’re producing more and more of those parts in America.

]]>White HouseEconomyEnergy and EnvironmentArkansasAtlantaGeorgiaHeather ZichalIowaJohn KerryKansasKarl RoveMary FallinMike BeebeNewtonOklahomaSam BrownbackSouth DakotaSteve KingTerry BranstadUnited StatesWASHINGTONThu, 07 Jun 2012 15:35:41 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>157447 at https://www.whitehouse.govIn Case You Missed It: Broad Bipartisan Support to Extend the Production Tax Credit https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/05/23/case-you-missed-it-broad-bipartisan-support-extend-production-tax-credit
Tomorrow the President will travel to TPI Composites in Newton, Iowa where he will highlight steps Congress can take right now to create American jobs, and support American companies and manufacturers – all while continuing to increase clean energy production here at home.

As part of his Congressional To-Do List, the President will call on Congress to pass legislation that will extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC) – which provides an important tax credit to utility-scale wind producers in the United States – alongside an expansion of the 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit that supports American-made clean energy manufacturing in towns and cities across the country. According to industry estimates, the wind industry supports nearly 20,000 direct jobs along with over 30,000 manufacturing jobs in its supply chain, and some in industry have estimated that without extending the PTC, as the President is calling for, up to 37,000 jobs could be lost.

As part of that effort, the Administration has focused on expanding production of natural gas. After all, we have a supply of natural gas that can last America nearly 100 years. And this Administration will continue to take steps to develop this energy resource in a way that can help fuel our economy and, according to industry experts, support more than 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade.

Last year, U.S. natural gas production grew by more than 7 percent in 2011 – the largest year-over-year volumetric increase in history – and easily eclipsed the previous production record set in 1973. As we produce more of this resource in the years ahead, its potential to power everything from our trucks to our factories only grows, while at the same time reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

At the same time, it’s imperative that we develop our natural gas resources in a safe and responsible way. For the Administration, this is a top priority.

So today – following through on a promise that the President made in his State of the Union address – the Department of Interior (DOI) has proposed a rule that will require companies to publicly disclose the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations on public and Indian trust lands.

]]>White HouseEnergy and EnvironmentHeather ZichalUnited StatesFri, 04 May 2012 20:31:16 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>147793 at https://www.whitehouse.govBuilding on Efficiencyhttps://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/05/02/building-efficiency
Two administration-led, industry-driven efforts marked milestones today. The first will put Americans to work on more than $2 billion in energy upgrades for federal buildings. The second will offer 30 million households and businesses more control over their energy bills. And together, these efforts will support an economy that’s built to last, one that makes use of every source of American energy – more efficiently.

Better Buildings

In December, as part of his We Can’t Wait initiative, the President challenged federal agencies to make at least $2 billion worth of energy-efficiency upgrades over the next two years. Meeting the first of several milestones of the challenge, federal agencies have identified $2.1 billion of projects that will pay for themselves using performance-based contracts.

Of the $2.1 billion in energy upgrade projects identified by agencies, more than $100 million in Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Utility Energy Savings Contracts (UESCs) have been awarded already, and an additional $1.2 billion in projects are in development – demonstrating strong momentum towards meeting the President’s goal.

]]>White HouseEnergy and EnvironmentHeather ZichalTennesseeUnited StatesWed, 02 May 2012 20:01:41 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>147307 at https://www.whitehouse.govFacilitating Safe and Responsible Expansion of Natural Gas Productionhttps://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/04/13/facilitating-safe-and-responsible-expansion-natural-gas-production
A key part of President Obama’s all-of-the-above energy strategy is expanding production of American energy resources. Since the President took office, energy from renewable sources like wind and solar has nearly doubled, the administration provided funding for the first nuclear power plant in over 30 years, and production of domestic oil and gas has increased each year, trends the President has made clear he wants to make sure continue.

The most dramatic expansion has been in natural gas. Since taking office the President has made clear that he believes this important, abundant domestic resource holds unique promise to fuel our energy sector, fuel our vehicles, as well as fuel job growth – all while reducing harmful emissions. U.S. natural gas production grew in 2011 – the largest year-over-year volumetric increase in history – and easily eclipsed the previous all-time production record set in 1973.

To ensure that we can successfully tap this critical resource for decades to come, we must develop it safely and responsibly, taking full advantage of the opportunity while also giving American families and communities the confidence that our air and water are safe.

At the same time, as the administration develops a framework for safe and responsible production that builds on steps already taken by states across the country, we must ensure that those efforts continue to happen in a coordinated way.

]]>White HouseEnergy and EnvironmentHeather ZichalFri, 13 Apr 2012 15:56:20 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>141781 at https://www.whitehouse.govIt’s Time to End the Taxpayer Subsidies for Big Oilhttps://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/03/28/it-s-time-end-taxpayer-subsidies-big-oil
Tomorrow, Congress has a real opportunity to do right by the American people. In response to President Obama’s repeated call to end the unwarranted tax breaks for big oil companies – which cost the American taxpayers billions of dollars each year – Congress will vote on a bill that could end these subsidies once and for all.

There are a lot of tough issues that come before Congress each year. This is not one of them. After all, these are tax breaks that oil companies don’t need and that we can’t afford. It should be a no brainer.

The United States has been subsidizing the oil industry for a century. President Obama believes that’s long enough. In fact, some of the oldest tax breaks for the oil companies date back to 1913 – a time when there were only 48 states in the Union and Ford was still producing the Model T.

After 100 years, there’s no reason for Congress to keep these subsidies on the books, especially right now. Today, as American families all across the country are feeling pain at the pump, the oil industry is posting record profits. In 2011 alone, the three largest American oil companies made a combined profit of more than $80 billion, or more than $200 million per day.

Now, we don’t begrudge companies for being successful in America. We want them to thrive and grow. But we also have to get our priorities straight. We have to invest in our future, not subsidize the past. Yet in the latest budget proposal by House Republicans, they want to keep the billions in tax breaks for oil companies in place while slashing discretionary investments in clean energy programs by nearly half. That just doesn’t make sense.

So the question that Congress needs to ask itself this week is simple: at a time when oil companies are making more money than ever before, how can we justify giving them billions more in taxpayer subsidies every year? And if Congress doesn’t vote to eliminate these tax breaks now, then when? How much bigger do oil company profits need to be? How many more years will the American people have to wait? This is a perfect example of an issue that makes Americans so cynical about Washington.

]]>White HouseEconomyEnergy and EnvironmentFiscal ResponsibilityHeather ZichalUnited StatesWASHINGTONEcon. OverviewEcon. Protecting the Middle ClassWed, 28 Mar 2012 21:44:01 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>135601 at https://www.whitehouse.govAmerican Energy: The Factshttps://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/03/15/american-energy-facts
Any American who has filled up recently knows that prices at the pump, driven by increased world oil prices, are too high. The President understands the impact this has on families and businesses. He also knows there’s no silver bullet to bring down the price at the pump. That is why he continues to invest in a sustained, all-of-the-above approach to American energy, increasing the efficiency of the vehicles we drive, investing in advanced technologies and alternative fuels, and expanding responsible domestic oil and gas production.

When it comes to domestic production, the President has made clear he wants us to continue to produce more oil and natural gas. This alone isn’t a solution to high gas prices, but it will help reduce our reliance on foreign oil and our vulnerability to the ups and downs of the international market. On that front, the numbers speak for themselves; every year the President has been in office, domestic oil and gas production is up, foreign imports of oil are down, and currently we are producing more oil than any time in eight years. In fact, imports of foreign oil decreased by a million barrels a day in the last year alone.

Despite these encouraging trends, there are some who seem to want to paint a bleak picture of the state of American energy. So let’s take a look at the facts.

]]>White HouseEnergy and EnvironmentGulf of MexicoHeather ZichalSouth CarolinaUnited StatesFri, 16 Mar 2012 00:03:12 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>131629 at https://www.whitehouse.govThe Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future: One-Year Progress Reporthttps://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/03/12/blueprint-secure-energy-future-one-year-progress-report
One year ago, the President put forward a comprehensive plan in the Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future that outlined the Administration’s all-of-the-above approach to American energy – a strategy aimed at reducing our reliance on foreign oil, saving families and businesses money at the pump, and positioning the United States as the global leader in clean energy.

Today, the President received a new progress report, showcasing the Administration’s historic achievements in each of these areas. The accomplishments in this report, which represent the efforts of six Federal agencies, underscore the Administration’s commitment over the past three years to promoting an all-hands-on-deck, all-of-the-above approach to American energy and building a more secure energy future.

There is a lot of discussion lately about domestic energy production and American energy security. For the Obama Administration, moving towards the goal of energy independence has been a clear priority since day one. When President Obama took office, the United States imported 11 million barrels of oil a day. The President has put forward a plan to cut that by one-third by 2025 by strengthening domestic production of our energy resources, making our homes and buildings more efficient, and transitioning to a wide range of clean energy technologies.

When it comes to domestic energy production, the numbers speak for themselves. Since 2008, U.S. oil and natural gas production has increased, while imports of foreign oil have decreased. Here are the facts:

In 2011, U.S. crude oil production reached its highest level since 2003, increasing by an estimated 90,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) over 2010 levels to 5.57 million bbl/d.

U.S. natural gas production grew by an estimated 7.4 percent in 2011– the largest year-over-year volumetric increase – and easily eclipsed the previous all-time production record set in 1973.

Overall, oil imports have been falling since 2008, and net imports as a share of total consumption declined from 57 percent in 2008 to 45 percent in 2011 – the lowest level since 1995.

In May of last year, President Obama outlined a series of additional steps to expand domestic oil and gas production as part of his long-term plan to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. More specifically, the President directed the Department of Interior (DOI) to conduct annual lease sales in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve (NPR-A), speed up the evaluation of oil and gas resources in the mid- and south-Atlantic, develop new incentives for industry to develop unused leases both onshore and offshore, extend drilling leases in the areas of the Gulf impacted by the temporary moratorium following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and lease new areas in the Gulf of Mexico.

Significant progress has been made in many of these areas. For instance, in December 2011, DOI held the first oil and natural gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico since the oil spill. The sale, which covered over 1 million acres, attracted more than $338 million in total bids – about $100 million more than average for Western Gulf sales over the previous decade. During the same month, DOI held a lease sale in Alaska’s NPR-A that generated winning bids of over $3.6 million and covered 17 tracts on over 140,000 acres.

The Administration has also taken historic action to reduce our dependence on oil by making our cars and trucks more efficient. In July of last year, the President announced the next phase in the Administration’s program to increase fuel economy, which will require a performance equivalent to 54.5 miles per gallon for model year 2017-2025 passenger vehicles. Taken together, the standards established under this Administration span Model Years 2011 to 2025. They will save American families money at the pump, for a total of $1.7 trillion in fuel savings over the life of the program. They will clean up our environment, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by more than 6 billion metric tons over the life of the program, while reducing pollutants like air toxics, cause soot, and smog.

These new fuel economy standards will dramatically cut our oil dependence, reducing consumption by an estimated 2.2 million barrels a day in 2025 (eventually reaching more than 4 million barrels a day as the fleet turns over), and saving 12 billion barrels in total over the lifetime of the program. To put that in perspective, it would take a pipeline that carried 700,000 barrels a day nearly 47 years to transport the amount of oil we are saving thanks to these new fuel economy standards.

Of course, the Administration has also been intent on developing and deploying clean energy technologies and positioning the United States as the global leader in the clean energy race. The Recovery Act invested more than $90 billion in clean energy, the largest such investment in America’s history. Those investments have created hundreds of thousands of jobs and spurred thousands of clean energy projects across the country. For example, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program has already supported more than 40 clean energy projects that will ultimately employ more than 60,000 Americans. And because of Recovery Act investments, we are on track to double non-hydro renewable electricity generation from 2008 levels this year.

In short, the Obama Administration’s approach to achieving American energy independence has been a comprehensive and sustained effort, with emphasis on boosting domestic energy production, increasing efficiency, and transitioning to cleaner energy sources.

But what’s abundantly clear is that there are no silver bullets when it comes to this challenge. And the idea, as some in Washington have tried to suggest, that building a pipeline is the ultimate answer to the question of American energy security and job creation is nothing more than a pipe dream. The truth is that just two of the Administration’s programs – the DOE Loan Guarantee Program and the EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards – will create more than 10 times the amount of jobs generated by the Keystone XL pipeline, which will only generate a few thousand temporary jobs. In terms of reducing America’s dependence on oil, the Administration’s fuel economy standards alone will save more than twice the amount of oil the Keystone pipeline would deliver.

Today marks yet another historic day in the Obama Administration’s efforts to protect the health of American families and our environment.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized the first-ever national standards to reduce mercury and other toxic air emissions – like arsenic, acid gas, and cyanide – from power plants, which are the largest sources of this pollution in the United States.

This crucial step forward will bring enormous public health benefits. By substantially reducing emissions of toxic pollutants that lead to neurological damage, cancer, respiratory illnesses, and other serious health issues, these standards will benefit millions of people across the country, but especially children, older Americans, and other vulnerable populations. Cumulatively, the total health and economic benefits to society could reach $90 billion each year.

]]>The PresidentWhite HouseEnergy and EnvironmentHeather ZichalUnited StatesWed, 21 Dec 2011 19:46:22 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>107942 at https://www.whitehouse.govClean Air and Electricity Delivery https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/12/01/clean-air-and-electricity-delivery
We can have clean air and reliable electricity at the same time. That’s the clear conclusion from a new report by the Department of Energy (DOE) released today. This confirms what the United States has always experienced in the 40 year history of the Clean Air Act – namely, the ability to safeguard public health without compromising the ability to keep the lights on in communities across the country.

Over the past few years, to build on four decades of success under the Clean Air Act, the Obama Administration has taken a series of historic actions to reduce harmful air pollution and promote public health. The new standards that we have established to slash mercury emissions, curb cross-state pollution, and make cars and trucks more efficient will result in enormous economic and health benefits to society. For example, the recently finalized cross-state air pollution rule alone is expected to prevent up to 34,000 premature deaths each year.

These are all appropriate and necessary steps to protect families and the environment that can and must be implemented in a way that maintains reliability of the electric grid. Historically speaking, the electric utility sector has a strong track record of providing both safe and reliable electricity to American consumers. Grid operators, states, generators, and federal agencies have developed tools, procedures, and technologies to ensure the continued reliable delivery of electricity to consumers.

Nonetheless, a few industry voices argue that the Administration’s new standards will undermine grid reliability. Many of those claims have been based on early or incomplete predictions about Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules. That’s why the independent analysis carried out by DOE is so important. Their analysis modeled a “stress test” scenario that deliberately went well beyond the requirements of the new clean air standards being put into place by the EPA. The point of the analysis was to test whether even under extreme conditions there would be enough power generating capacity to meet peak electricity demand throughout the country. The result: the power grid passed with flying colors.

Additionally, the DOE report finds that the law allows enough time for utilities to upgrade their power plants or add new generation – and that in specific cases where localized issues do arise, the Clean Air Act already provides the tools and necessary flexibility to address those concerns on a plant-specific or local basis.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) have formally announced their joint proposal to set stronger fuel economy and greenhouse gas pollution standards for model year 2017-2025 passenger cars and light-duty trucks. When combined with other actions the Administration has taken to increase efficiency in the transportation sector, this announcement will save Americans $1.7 trillion, reduce oil consumption by 2.2 million barrels per day by 2025, and slash greenhouse gas emissions by 6 billion metric tons.

Under the proposal, model year 2017-2025 cars and light-duty trucks are expected to achieve increases in fuel efficiency equivalent to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. This builds on the first phase of President Obama’s national program announced in 2009, which will raise the average fuel economy of passenger vehicles to 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016.

These standards provide regulatory certainty and flexibility for auto manufacturers. By continuing the national program developed for model year 2012-2016 vehicles, EPA and DOT have designed a proposal that allows manufacturers to keep producing a single, national fleet of passenger cars and light trucks that satisfies all federal and California requirements, while ensuring that consumers enjoy a full range of vehicle choices.

The ambitious goals established in these standards will drive innovation in the manufacturing sector and help create high-quality jobs across the country. Major auto manufacturers are already heavily invested in developing advanced technologies that can significantly reduce fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions beyond the existing model year 2012-2016 targets. A wide range of technologies are currently available for automakers to meet the new standards, including advanced gasoline engines and transmissions, vehicle weight reduction, lower tire rolling resistance, improvements in aerodynamics, diesel engines, more efficient accessories, and improvements in air conditioning systems. The new standards should also encourage manufacturers to explore electric technologies such as start/stop, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles. Notably, the model year 2017-2025 proposal includes a number of incentive programs to promote early adoption and introduction of “game changing” advanced technologies, such as hybridization for pickup trucks.

Developed in partnership with 13 major auto manufacturers including Ford, GM and Chrysler, the state of California, the United Auto Workers (UAW), consumer and environmental groups, and other stakeholders, these achievable and cost-effective standards represent the most significant federal action ever taken to improve fuel economy and reduce carbon pollution. In fact, these standards will bring the nation over halfway to the President’s goal of reducing oil imports by a third by 2025.

The President’s national fuel economy program represents a key component of the comprehensive energy policy that this Administration has pursued since day one, which aims to increase safe and responsible energy production at home while reducing our overall dependence on oil with advanced biofuels and greater efficiency.

]]>White HouseEconomyEnergy and EnvironmentCaliforniaHeather ZichalEcon. We Cant WaitEconomyWed, 16 Nov 2011 18:21:18 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>97603 at https://www.whitehouse.govProtecting Historic Progress on Clean Airhttps://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/11/07/protecting-historic-progress-clean-air
President Obama believes that American families should never be asked to choose between the health of their children and the health of the economy. That is a false choice. Four decades of success under the Clean Air Act have shown clearly that strong environmental protections and a strong economy can go hand in hand.

To build on the tremendous success of the Clean Air Act, the Obama Administration has taken the most significant steps in a generation to reduce harmful pollution and promote public health. The new standards that we have issued or proposed – to curb interstate pollution, reduce mercury exposure, and make our cars more fuel efficient, just to name a few – will result in significant economic and health benefits each year.

Just over forty years ago, the Senate did something that would be almost unthinkable today: It passed major legislation by a unanimous vote. That legislation was the Clean Air Act of 1970, signed by President Richard Nixon. Two decades later, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 were passed, again with large bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress, and signed by President George H. W. Bush.

But today, Republicans in Congress are trying to use our current economic climate as an excuse to roll back clean air protections that Americans have counted on for decades. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is currently leading an effort to block the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) that would save tens of thousands of lives each year. In doing so, Senator Paul is using the Congressional Review Act to repeal this important rule and prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from protecting American families from cross-state pollution in the future.

Let’s be clear – this brazen effort doesn’t just undermine the public health, it also undermines the judgment of the courts. In 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Washington, D.C. Circuit found critical flaws in the Bush Administration’s efforts on interstate air pollution and directed the EPA to issue a replacement rule as quickly as possible. After seeking and incorporating extensive input from the public, the states, environmental and public health groups, as well as industry, the EPA finalized the Cross-State Air Pollution rule in July of this year.

]]>White HouseEconomyEnergy and EnvironmentHealth CareGeorge H. W. BushHeather ZichalRand PaulRichard NixonWashington, D.C.Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:33:00 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>94105 at https://www.whitehouse.govThe Link Between American Energy and Prosperityhttps://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/10/07/link-between-american-energy-and-prosperity
October is Energy Action Month -- a national effort to focus on the critical link between American energy and prosperity, highlight the tremendous potential of clean energy technologies to create new American jobs and industries, and underscore the importance of investing in American innovation to lead the 21st century global clean energy economy.

As a country, we face a fundamental choice about our energy future. We can continue with the status quo, or we can chart a new course forward – one that prioritizes investments in cleaner sources of energy to reduce our dependence on oil, strengthen American competitiveness, and protect public health and the environment.

]]>White HouseEnergy and EnvironmentHeather ZichalUnited StatesFri, 07 Oct 2011 18:18:24 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Zichal" class="author-name">Heather Zichal</a>84375 at https://www.whitehouse.govCleaner Air and a Stronger Economy – A Record of Success https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/09/02/cleaner-air-and-stronger-economy-record-success
Over the last two and a half years, the Obama Administration has taken unprecedented steps forward to protect the public health of American families by reducing harmful air pollution. Taken together, the Administration’s clean air achievements will produce enormous benefits for public health and the environment – while promoting the nation’s continued economic growth and well-being.

Clean Air: An Investment in Health, the Environment, and the Economy

Clean air is critical to protecting public health and the environment and the evidence shows that it’s a good investment. A recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that the direct benefits of the Clean Air Act – in the form of cleaner air and healthier, more productive Americans – are estimated to reach nearly $2 trillion in the year 2020, exceeding the costs by a factor of more than 30 to one. These benefits are ultimately about the health of our families.

According to the report, in 2010 alone, the reductions in fine particle and ozone pollution from the Clean Air Act prevented:

160,000 premature deaths;

More than 80,000 emergency room visits;

Millions of cases of respiratory problems;

Millions of lost workdays, increasing productivity;

Millions of lost school days due to respiratory illness and other diseases caused or exacerbated by air pollution.